The Obama administration is talking with the Pakistanis about possible changes in the way the U.S. conducts air strikes against terrorists in Pakistan, including providing Pakistan advance notice of attacks, modifying the targets and changing how targets are determined, according to a senior U.S. official who is involved in intelligence matters.

The official, who would not speak for attribution because of the sensitivity of the issues, said the White House is making a serious mistake by putting the options on the table for the Pakistanis to seize.

"The big mistake was the administration - I did try to warn them - that once you put it on the table, it will only get worse," the official said. "Sure enough, once they put it on the table, (Pakistan) grabbed it, and they've run with it and now it's the centerpiece of their negotiations."

The offer to put the issue on the table reportedly was made earlier this year by CIA Director David Petraeus in a meeting with the head of Pakistani intelligence, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha.

"The director and I have had serious go-rounds about this particular issue before he did it, and he did it anyway. And now I think we're paying the price," the senior U.S. official said.

The story on what was referred to as U.S. concessions to Pakistan was first reported by the Associated Press.

Another U.S. official who is not authorized to speak on the record denied any concessions were made.

"No such concessions were offered to Pasha," said the official, who would not answer questions about whether changes in the drone program have been discussed.

Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters earlier this week that he would not discuss the specifics of U.S.-Pakistan counterterrorism programs, but said the story "did not represent the ongoing nature of the dialogue we have with the Pakistanis."

The missile strikes by CIA-operated unmanned aircraft has irked Pakistani officials who publicly say the country's sovereignty is being violated and there are too many civilian casualties associated with the attacks. The U.S. rejects the accusations.

"If the main concern is sovereignty, the Pakistanis might want to deal with the al Qaeda foreigners who are living within their borders and planning attacks on Pakistan, their neighbors and the West," said the second U.S. official.

The Pakistani government has been reassessing its relationship with Washington following a number of high-profile incidents last year, particularly the U.S. raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, of which the Pakistanis had no prior knowledge, and the accidental killing of Pakistani soldiers operating along the Afghanistan border by U.S. forces. One of the key debates is on the future of the drone program.

The potential modifications in the drone program might not be as bad for the United States as some might suggest. Although a former senior U.S. intelligence official who is not privy to the specifics of the discussions is a bit nervous about what is being reported in the media, he suggests there's a lot we don't know.

"I was struck by the language which said inform rather than approve. There is a very large difference," the former official said. "And then the question is when you say inform, is it simultaneously? An hour before? A day before?"

In addition, the former official raised the question about whether there would be an understanding with the Pakistanis that the United States still could act unilaterally if need be.

That question appeared to be answered by a senior Defense Department official during congressional testimony this week.

Michael Sheehan, the assistant secretary for special operations, did not address the drone question specifically, but said the United States and Pakistan would try to work as best they can to resolve their differences. But he added that ultimately, "the president is going to do what he has to do unilaterally. And he will always protect that prerogative, to protect the security of the American people and our interest."

In the meantime, drone operations continue in Pakistan at a noticeably lesser rate than previous years. The U.S. official insisted,"The United States is conducting, and will continue to conduct, the counterterrorism operations it needs to protect the U.S. and its interests."

With fewer strikes in the tribal regions where al Qaeda hides out, and turmoil not only in the U.S.-Pakistani relationship but within the Pakistani government itself, some worry al Qaeda and other extremists will take advantage of the situation.

The senior U.S. official said a convergence of problems gives al Qaeda room to maneuver:

"The Pakistanis are less interested in operating in the tribal areas. That gives (al Qaeda) breathing space," the official said. "The tempo - I don't care what they tell you - the tempo has changed on airstrikes. That has given them some breathing space. And you know one thing we've learned, you give them an inch, they will take six miles. They are very adaptive and very aggressive and very persistent."

Sheehan agreed that al Qaeda is highly adaptive - which is why the U.S. and Pakistan have to find a way to work through the difficult problems.

"It's so troubling and complex, but nevertheless, they are there," said Sheehan. "They are sitting on top of our adversary and we're just going to have to work through this issue indefinitely, and we're going to have ups and a lot of downs, unfortunately, in the months ahead."

As the senior U.S. official put it, "We have good day, bad days and terrible days. This is the way we have a relationship with Pakistan. And sometimes that can all happen in the same day."

The bumpy road ahead was also reflected by Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Dianne Feinstein who told CNN she has no confidence that the relationship with Pakistan will smooth out any time soon. The California Democrat will join her committee vice chairman and the ranking members of the House Intelligence Committee on an upcoming visit to Pakistan to demonstrate the importance of the nations' relationship and to re-enforce their shared national security objectives.

soundoff(127 Responses)

Aingbdakslank

a very very stiupd stiupd analysis full of hatredouldbanglash is a bery very dear brotherly country with pakistan.we pakistani love bangladeshi nation,will love them for ever.but this indian propaganda machine would be unsuccessful INSHALLAH.they should understand this was a cricket match.long live pakistan and long live bangladesh.

Most easiest thing is put your garbage on some one who is weaker than you. When U.S. defeated U.S.S.R in 80's with only help of Pakistan. Pakistan lost lots of lives , just to fill American wishes ,India was supporting USSR . In America today's youth don,t know that. After winning war U.S. just dumped 6 millians afgan refugees on pakistan,Didnot install a government who would not create redicals, and ran, that resulted in current situation. media plays a roll, a big roll creates hate againist Pakistan , and islam , never go with facts. Pakistan is a small country with enemy border in south with india , in north with Afghanistan . It is a very big border bigger than U.S. and mexciko in total. It is not easy to keep good control . with afghan border is mountain area very hard to watch. After 911 tragedy , when U.S. started bombing afghanistan all those redicals just slipped across, and hid thierself in mountain area. please justi fy your self , how can you blame pakistan, and bomb innocent civilians. ??????

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As soon as Pakistan demonstrates that they are able to maintain control of their own populace, police their own territory, and remove any extremist elements on their own without needing a significant portion of their GDP provided in the form of aid from us, then they can start calling the shots as to when, where, and how our drone attacks are conducted. Until then, they are harboring known terrorists and providing a safe haven for terrorists to conduct attacks on the other civilized nations of the world, so they will just have to learn to deal with other nations being present on their soil to do their job for them.

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May 22, 2012 at 9:10 am |

reality

Loss to Pakistan because of American war $100 billions

by the way GDP of Pakistan is $450 billions, So Pakistan doesn't depend on external aid, you call it aid but it was for services provided by Pakistan.

Obviously you can't trust Pakistan even when-must we forget- they are getting maid billions of dollars to "allow" us to operate within their territory, As soon as the money stops flowing out from US to Pakistan they either won't give schit at all or they'll beg for the money again and let us bomb away with impunity. Funny how money is always the center of the issue. AND to all those criticizing MR. Anonymous at least he's providing a forum for you to post your thoughts about the issue instead of picking booger sout of your nose lol

Pakistan is a failed state that has failed to provide stability and protection to it's citizens, resulting in the haven for terrorists it has become. As such, it has forfeited its sovereignty. Until they can step up and take care of their business we will do it for them since we actually care about our citizens. When and who is targeted by our drones is none of their business, they would just tip off the targets anyways.

I agree, Pakistan would tip off the targets if they knew ahead of time. The senior leadership of AlQueda, Taliban, Lakshar, and Haqqani, are all in Pakistan. The Pak ISI is full of terrorist sympathizers.

[quote]Alex Povolotski
I just wonder why sovereign countries like Pakistan would even allow foreign aircraft to enter their airspace, let alone launch an aerial strike against citizens of your own country![/quote]

I didn't realize people from Saudi, Iran, Libya, Egypt, Yemen, etc., etc., living in a tribal region, were considered "citizens of your country."

I say, pull all our trrops and all equipment out now. Screw the Pakistani's and let them solve or die by their own stupidity. When the Country is over run with terrorists, just launch Bertha and when the smoke clears. Claim as US Soil.

Yeah he warned Osama Bin Laden with a SEAL team. Please, get off this whole 'president is a secret terrorist' conspiracy. You want to look at a secret terrorist? Look at Bush. He flew a lot of Bin Laden's relatives and people of interest out of the country right after 911.

It would appear that Obama is fearful of offending what amounts to an unfriendly\uncooperative ally, and is willing to compromise our operational intelligence so he looks "friendly" to these terror supporters. Obama needs to go before he gets more Americans killed via "giving the enemy our secret inteligence".

The relationship with Pakistan is shaky for many reasons, but one we must not allow to dominate is allowing their highly intolerant, criminal groups hiding behind religion to unduly influence our policies because that will mean acquiescing to monsters who have no care for anyone in the world other than themselves and other like-minded criminals.

Pakistan is heaven for terrorists, period. Pakistanis living here maybe are not terrorists, but you really do not know and cannot second guess. Being indian myself, I tend to watch other Muslims very carefully, even when I am on a plane, I watch them for every move they make.

Hey curry stinking bubble head, stop pissing in your pants for nothing. I stay away from a flight when I see an Indian, just because your fart bombs can kill an average person. Go take a shower for the sake of humanity, and stop your India-Pakistan propaganda here.

You pakis stink. None of you believe in taking a shower let alone shave. The fart bomb is targeted towards you stinking Pakis

March 30, 2012 at 12:19 pm |

Jess

@tg, oooohh... i did not realize that it hurt you guys that much. hahahaha....
Seriously, you Indians have a reputation there. Ask any of your non-Indian friends. Use this as an opportunity to change your habit and shower daily. Good Luck.

March 30, 2012 at 12:54 pm |

Dev D

product of rape by arabs starting 630BC.

March 30, 2012 at 2:04 pm |

Bob

Isn't that telling the terrorists what you going to do ahead of time...............OH YEA are friends my rear end.

The best option is to end the Afghan war and the campaign in Pakistan and bring our troops home! The more insurgents we kill, the more they recruit! And alot of the recruits are from within Pakistan! Furthermore, its unfair to blame the Pakistanis government for not making its country terrorism free because that is impossible! In the past two years, Pakistan has made significan progress on the war on terror as it has has been able to apprehend and detain many key al Qaeda operatives and it has helped a great deal on the war on terrorism in Afghanistan. But with a country as vast and populated as Pakistan and strongly influenced by radical extermists, it is a difficult problem for Pakistan to confront and it is a war campaign that Pakistan and the West will never win!

Furthermore, as long as we continue to use drones in Pakistan, the civilian casualties will continue simply because the enemy don't wear uniform and that makes it easy for them to blend with the civilian population and hard for us to differentiate! Finally, how do we gauge when the war on terrorism has been won in Pakistan and Afghanistan for example? Is this a war campaign we can actually win? I believe if there is any feasible way to win the war on terrorisn, the best way to achieve our goal is to leave these people alone!. The invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq has proved that end!

Somehow, the non-al Qaeda, non-Taliban of Pakistan must stand up and take these hateful criminals who cloak their actions in religion so as to fool everyone their into siding with them or at least leaving them alone.
Pakistan's leaders must have courage to confront the intolerance and criminality that al Qaeda and the Taliban seek to spread or else it will engulf their nation. We had left Pakistan and Afghanistan alone for 10 years and we got 9/11. Many non-Taliban, non al Qaeda Pakistani leaders blamed it on the US abandoning the countries after the USSR left. So stay or go?

Well said! but leaving them alone is NOT the answer? I think it will only breathe more fanatics and increase terrorism. So I believe in decimating the fanatics where and when possible with intelligence and brute force and at the same time educating the civilian population that these strikes are not a strike against their religious beliefs. This can be done with repeated TV ads that most pakistanis including the militants watch and perhaps some might consider changing their opinion on who is on their side..

So WEEKS after CNN has run story after story stoking the fires of the Trevor Martin case, headlines over and over about racist this racist that and virtually sealing the opinions of the stupid liberals who come here, they insultingly throw a 'Avoid Rush to Judgement" article., and another one where you pretend you are 'peeling back the story'.

You guys are amazingly inept, you should be ashamed and revoked from providing your "news" to anyone.This type of stuff is the reason the only audience you have left is your worthless, atheist, abortion loving, uneducated liberals.

Sovereignty? If you do not control the area where the attacks are taking place from them you do not have sovereign control over the region. If you do have control over the region then you are supporting attacks against US and Nato soldiers which should be an act of war against the United States. If this is the case the next Hellfire missile should be sent down the chimney of the presidential palace in Islamabad. If you want to whine and cry about sovereignty, take back the Northwestern part of your country from terrorist or shut up.

' "If the main concern is sovereignty, the Pakistanis might want to deal with the al Qaeda foreigners who are living within their borders and planning attacks on Pakistan, their neighbors and the West," said the second U.S. official.'

Pakistan can't claim that we are violating their national sovereignty with these attacks if the territory we're attacking is NOT under their control. "Sovereignty" is not just a right, it's also a responsibility. And if the Pakistan government wants to claim that these tribal regions belong to Pakistan, then that makes Pakistan responsible for the attacks launched from them into Afghanistan, and for the deaths of American troops and Afghan civilians that result. Anywhere else in the world that would mean that Pakistan has committed acts of war against both the U.S. and Afghanistan.

Pakistan should be careful what it wishes for, it just might get it...and all the consequences that go with it.

Advance notice to the Pakistans – well the effectiveness of this program just went to zero.

The Afghan Conflict is looking more and more like Vietnam when then President LBJ began taking certain legitimate targets off the Navy and Air Force areas it could hit. This greatly lessend the effectiveness and after a while the US just gave up and left the country to the North Vietnamese.

Afghan is no longer a military campaign – it is Obama's political quagmire, and it is called Vietnam II AKA We still have not learned our less from Vietnam

Like I said I would have checked when an Israeli strike was not viable or still is viable was it 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 or 13, 2014. In which case you are leaking what and I have nothing to lose and you quite a lot.

I like the idea of giving some advance notice to Pakistan. We'll be selective in who we tell, and watch for the result. Will our tatgets mysteriously disappear hours before we strike? Then we have the upper hand, and can show the world what side some people are really on.

obama is fading fast on the foreign policy front with the results coming up the rear . how are those gas prices doing for ye all ? obama has to get wisdom like a convict has to get religion to gain freedom from all screw ups.

Drone pilot to Taliban Leader, please move your pick up truck and donkey as I will be making a bombing run on your position in 5 minutes.

Pakistani Intelligence to Drone Pilot, please hold off your bombing run until the Taliban leader has finished his tea with us.

Roger that pakistani Intelligence, we will divert and go hit some water buffaloes we saw in the river about 3 clicks to your north.

Drone Pilot, this is Pakistani leader, those are not water buffaloes, those are the Taliban leader's wives, and he asked you to take out the really big one in the middle

Roger, this is drone Pilot out

Allah be praised, this is Pakistani Intelligence out.

March 30, 2012 at 10:54 am |

Alex

Bush's foreign policy is what got us into this mess in the first place. Under Obama, we quickly helped liberate Libya and have seen dictatorships throughout the Middle East fall. We killed or captured 99% of the leaders who wanted to kill us. We have also improved relations with out allies in Europe and Asia/Pacific.

The root of all the problems in AFGHAN INDO PAK is the Kashmir atrocities being committed by Indian troops who are predominantly hindu and are massacring the muslim womenfolk and kids ova dere while the world is watching on. One does not have to be a rocket scientist to figure this out.

I like how they say "our interests" as if we have a say in the matter. I still dont get why we are still there. What is there to gain. There will never be a date or a end to terrorism. or groups that hate us. Its as futile as the war on drugs.

you guys are so dumb and arrogant...yall created taliban to defeat russia n blame it on pakistan...one more thing, go find out about nato supply route cost now since they closed it. their road infrastructure being destroyed by heavy containers. oh BTW faggots WAR ain FREE or Ruling the world ain FREE... think and research sensibly ...pc

Hahaha that was EXACTLY what I was thinking you took the words right out of my mouth!

March 30, 2012 at 9:52 am |

Jess

truth is hard to hear ... aint it ??

March 30, 2012 at 10:42 am |

bspurloc

still time for the 'blame obamers' to say he is pandering to pakistan... u know obama the one that made drone strikes top priority cuz the other dolt was more interested in iraq. OMG telling pakistan anything is making gas prices go up!

Seems to me that this is good diplomacy – the Pakistans are warned prior to a strike, and the US watches the strike site to see if the people there are forewarned and leave, thus showing complicit action by the Pakistan govt.

Is it the curry powder in their diet,or unwashed armpits in the liquor store?

March 30, 2012 at 11:14 am |

Jess

@Dennis: A bit of both. Indians don't shower; neither do they believe in deodorants. Their religion also suggest they drink cow piss, so what do you expect.

March 30, 2012 at 12:09 pm |

Dev D

another SOB paki

March 30, 2012 at 2:32 pm |

BUT YOU SAID I COULD

this is going to lead to you said i could stage , but the risk of things going south by causing another civilian desaster is higher now then ever , and the lads better be on their game or this could result in a mishap which will result in pakistan gaining hardware support from either china or russia.

iran is playing a roll in pakistan with the isi looking the other way , and that is not being reported .

I agree. Stupid move. Getting Pakistan to clean it's own house seems to be the logical answer. They don't need to do it alone either. How rude of them to allow free reign to anyone, it seems, in a tribal region. They get hammered plenty too but they are willing to keep taking it? Nuclear countries should be forced to conform to higher standards of control than what's in place now. We have a greater responsibility to the WORLD.

I dislike having officials at any level publicly airing their opinions that differ from those of their superior officers. It is near impossible enough dealing with the Pakistanis, without having a unified face. So shut up, Mr. Un-attribution.

I think it should come down to a policy of "if you can't put your name to it don't say it". These unnamed sources and anonymous rantings should not be allowed and certainly aren't acceptable within the intelligence community. If you don't like the way an administration is running it's business then walk away from the job.

It was a contentment cmiong across your site yesterday. I came here today hoping to find out something new. And I was not disappointed. Your ideas about new approaches on this topic were helpful and a terrific help to me. Thank you for having time to write out these things and for sharing your mind.

Imagine if Pakistan were to send drones to Minnesota or some other state. No one would take that. The U.S. government waves away casualties like it's no big deal. If you kill the people there, and if the terrorists go back to the houses of the victims and say, "Hey, the US killed your family, so come join us and get your revenge," - they WILL take advantage of that opportunity. These attacks are just fueling anti-American sentiment and have no basis because most of the people that die in them are just innocent civilians. Pakistan belongs to the Pakistanis, not the U.S. The terrorists there are a bigger threat to the safety of Pakistan than they are to the safety of the U.S. Pakistanis want them out, but the Pakistani government is focussed on issues it thinks are more important - like transferring as much money as possible from the state to foreign bank accounts.

So what would be your solution, then? Do you honestly think that the terrorists hiding in the Pakistani tribal regions pose no threat? Where do you think they are regrouping and organizing their next attack on NATO forces in Afghanistan? Where do you think they are training their jihadist suicide bombers? I'm no wing-nut – probably about as liberal as they come – but even I know that there is a significant threat posed by the extremists that are hiding under cover of the ISI and if Pakistan won't do the work to clean their own house then somebody may have to do it for them before either Russia or China become openly involved and we have a *real* problem on our hands.

The real problem is that the job was abandoned by Bush so he could get us involved in Iraq based on lies. Under Obama, Bin laden is dead.. mission accomplished...time to bring ALL of our troops home and let these third world countries fight their own battles.

March 30, 2012 at 10:14 am |

lee s

@tnPAtriot. Obama just happened to be in office when he was captured, lucky him. What if we hadnt captured him until 2014? Would the president then get the credit? I credit our military and intelligence organization for the killing of OBL, no one else. So, why isnt your buddy Obama, bringing everyone home since he has so much influence over the military and its "mission accomplished" as you said.

March 30, 2012 at 12:27 pm |

Are You Retarded

I think you just demonstrated the usual ignorance characteristic of the majority of the human race. Pakistan would never be conducting drone strikes inside of the US because the US would take care of the problem of a terrorist organization within a week. The US would eliminate the group, not fund and support it. So your little hypothetical situation just isn't cutting it. Come back with an intelligent response rather than the spewing anti-American crap that European teens seem to latch onto so tightly.

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Rock Maker – unfortunately it's impossible to move forward in that area of th world without some sort of cooperative arrangement with the Pakistanis (I't their country foir those keeeping track.) They are an extrememly poorly run country who, over time, I fear, we will be forced to get more and more involved in. For there to be any hgope for anytthing that looks like peace in that part of the world Pakistan will have to be on board.

I absolutely agree with you: Pakistan needs to resolve it's internal government issues – one government at a time would be best! – and get on board with the rest of the world to bring some kind of peace and stability not just to their own country but to the entire region. Poverty really isn't an excuse, here, as the US and many other countries have been providing Pakistan with tremendous financial support for years. Their real problem is in continuing to allow the ISI to run a sub-government that makes even the elected officials fear for their own safety. Real peace in Pakistan requires real freedom and democracy without the threat of a shadow government staging a coup anytime it doesn't like what the secular world is doing and that is a responsibility that the Pakistani people must take up for themselves.

USA has provided no financial assistance to Pakistan and is 8 billion dollars in default to pay Pakistan for reimbursement, Pakistan has already spent on American war of hinduism, terrorism. Pakistan is hind, scammed of one hindered billion dollars by the west so for. Check your fact's on ground before spewing hinduism, lies in hindu Judism, filthy self center ism in defiance of truth.

Feeling is mutual, it is hinduism, crime to trust a hindu denire of truth in his hindu Judaism filthy self cenr ism, secular ism like a hindu filthy dog. Pakistanis do not trust hindu criminal west, nor they need to.

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CNN's Security Clearance examines national and global security, terrorism and intelligence, as well as the economic, military, political and diplomatic effects of it around the globe, with contributions from CNN's national security team in Washington and CNN journalists around the world.